The present invention generally relates to apparatuses for the process of dyeing and treating material, and in particular, to apparatuses for the batch process of dyeing material.
In a batch dyeing process, a material is subjected to various conditions in order to accomplish the dyeing of the material. In one of these conditions, the material is scoured after the dyeing substances are applied in an effort to remove any residual dyeing substances on the material. The chemicals that are used for scouring can be very volatile and reactive chemicals. In particular, reductive powders or the granular form of the scouring chemicals are highly volatile.
The scouring chemicals must only be added to the batch process at a specific critical time in the dyeing process. Additionally, the scouring chemicals must be blended into the liquids of the batch dyeing process in a manner that reduces the possibility of the reactive scouring chemicals contacting the material in a concentrated form or consistent method. For these reasons, scouring chemicals are typically added to the batch dyeing process in a liquid form.
However, additive liquid scouring materials often exhibit different characteristics than the granular or powder scouring chemicals. Additionally, many of the powder or granular scouring chemicals begin to degredate immediately upon combination with an additive liquid before addition to the liquids in a batch dye process.
Therefore, there is a need for apparatuses that can add powder or granular additives, such as scouring chemicals, to a batch process for treating a material, such as a batch dyeing process, in a controlled manner.